Employee Benefit Plans (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Defined Contribution Pension Plan [Line Items]
Matching contributions - 401 (k)	$ 4,015	$ 3,600	$ 3,421
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan [Member]
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]
Matching contributions - deferred compensation plan	$ 59	$ 18	$ 16
401 K Savings and Retirement Plan [Member]
Defined Contribution Pension Plan [Line Items]
Eligible employees' maximum allowable contribution as a percentage of compensation (in hundredths)	75.00%
Percentage company total match on employee contributions, maximum (in hundredths)	4.00%
Company match on the first three percent of compensation deferred (in hundredths)	100.00%
Company match on deferrals between three percent and five percent of compensation (in hundredths)	50.00%
Compensation deferred percentage eligible for one hundred percent match on employees' contributions	3.00%
Compensation deferred percentage eligible for fifty percent match on employee contributions	5.00%

The company match on deferrals between three percent and five percent of compensation.

No definition available.

Name:	pool_CompanyMatchOnDeferralsBetweenThreePercentAndFivePercentOfCompensation
Namespace Prefix:	pool_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The company match on the first three percent of compensation deferred.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pool_CompanyMatchOnFirstThreePercentOfCompensationDeferred
Namespace Prefix:	pool_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The description of the eligibility criteria for a fifty percent match on employees' contributions by the company.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pool_CompensationDeferredPercentageEligibleForFiftyPercentMatchOnEmployeeContributions
Namespace Prefix:	pool_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The description of the eligibility criteria for a hundred percent match on employee contributions by the company.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pool_CompensationDeferredPercentageEligibleForOneHundredPercentMatchOnEmployeeContributions
Namespace Prefix:	pool_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	pool_DefinedContributionPensionPlanLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	pool_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum allowable contribution to the pension plan as a percentage of the employees' compensation, subject to the federal dollar limit.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pool_EligibleEmployeesMaximumAllowableContributionAsPercentageOfCompensation
Namespace Prefix:	pool_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum match by the company on employee contributions to the pension plan as a percentage of the employees' compensation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pool_PercentageCompanyTotalMatchOnEmployeesContributionsMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	pool_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of payment into the fund established for purposes of making future disbursements to the individual in accordance with the terms and understanding of the deferred compensation arrangement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualEmployerContribution
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualPostretirementBenefitsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of the cost recognized during the period for defined contribution plans.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 11

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 70

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414718&loc=d3e28014-114942

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration